Chapter 5 - The Penthouse Guest

Nathan survived.

Barely.

Grant’s security team got him to a private hospital under an assumed name before Richard’s people could find him.

Charlotte did not tell police where he was.

Not yet.

She no longer knew who could be trusted.

The silver key card belonged to Solmere’s Imperial Penthouse.

A residence costing more than thirty thousand dollars per night.

But the hotel computer listed it as vacant.

Charlotte waited until three in the morning.

Then she entered.

The lights were already on.

Crystal glasses sat beside an open bottle of wine.

Fresh flowers stood on the dining table.

Someone was living there.

Charlotte searched the suite.

Inside the bedroom closet she found men’s suits.

All tailored in London.

Inside a locked drawer she discovered photographs.

Her mother.

Richard.

Several judges.

Two senators.

Three members of the Solmere board.

And Celeste Harrington.

Charlotte stared at Celeste’s photograph.

It had been taken at least ten years earlier.

Celeste would have been eighteen.

She was standing beside a man Charlotte recognized instantly.

Victor Harrington.

Celeste’s father.

He had supposedly died when Celeste was a teenager.

Behind them stood Richard Vale.

And Eleanor.

Charlotte turned the photograph over.

Four words were written on the back.

THE ORIGINAL SOLMERE FOUR.

Charlotte heard the front door open.

She slipped behind a curtain.

A man entered.

He was tall.

Gray-haired.

Elegant.

And very much alive.

Victor Harrington.

Charlotte could barely breathe.

The dead man poured himself a drink.

Then Richard entered behind him.

“You were supposed to stop her downstairs.”

Victor sounded irritated.

Richard loosened his tie.

“Celeste lost control.”

“She humiliated Charlotte publicly.”

“That can be useful.”

“How?”

Richard smiled.

“Everyone saw Charlotte become aggressive.”

Charlotte felt rage rise inside her.

Victor looked unconvinced.

“Nathan contacted her.”

Richard’s smile vanished.

“Impossible.”

“He gave her the garage footage.”

Richard slammed his glass onto the table.

“You told me Cole was dead.”

“I told you he was handled.”

“Those are not the same thing.”

Victor walked toward the windows.

“You are forgetting your position, Richard.”

Richard’s face tightened.

“I kept this empire under control for eleven years.”

“No.”

Victor turned.

“You kept my empire under control.”

Charlotte covered her mouth.

Victor continued.

“Eleanor stole Solmere from me once.”

His voice became cold.

“I will not allow her daughter to do it again.”

Charlotte’s mind raced.

Her mother had founded Solmere.

Everyone knew that.

Unless everything Charlotte had been told about the company’s beginning was incomplete.

Richard lowered his voice.

“What if Charlotte finds the original partnership agreement?”

Victor smiled.

“She won’t.”

“Why?”

“Because Eleanor hid it somewhere no one would ever think to search.”

Richard stared at him.

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Victor lifted his glass.

“Inside Solmere itself.”